Automatic vehicle box and frame lift.



I V H. 0. 11B WEESE. AUTOMATIC VEHICLE BOX AND FRAME LIFT. APPLIOATIOB nmnamm 13, 1 908.

905,154. 'Pafientedbeb. 1, 1908.

.ZHVEHZZFF.

'HENRY oQDnwEEsE, or roR TLA n, OREGON.

Arron/farm VEHICLE BOX 'A'ND FRAME LIFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

' Application filed June 18,1908, Serial No. 4 ,39,224.

To all whom may. concern: s 7 f r Be it known that I, HENRKIC, DE WEES of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and in the State of Qregon, have invented:

a certain new and useful ,Impr'ovem entin Automatic Vehicle Boxfand Frame. Lifts, and do hereby declare thatthe followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to drawings, in which y Figure 1 is a perspective view of alifting apparatus embodyin my invention, the rocking supportor frame being shown in full lines in an inclined position, and in dotted lines in a horizontal position; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section'in a plane passing throughthe axis of the rocking support; Fig.3 is a detail view in zperspective'of the locking mechanism; and Fig.4 is asimilar view of a portion of the locking mechanism.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and yet eiiicient apparatus for the automatic removal or replacement of a'box, rack, frame or other part of awagon or vehicle from or upon the running gear of the vehicle, and in particular to provide a looking mechanism for suchan apparatus of eX- treme simplicity andyet entire" reliability, and which cannot have its operation interfered with by ice, snow, or other material,

- or be accidentally released by live stock or otherwise.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, I employ a basejor frame 1 that isrectangular. and oblong in form, and is conveniently constructed "of bars or beams, and preferably has a floor 2. At each side andat its longitudinal center, there are two vertical postsor uprights 3 braced by inclined bars 41, andbetween each pair of posts 3, near the upper end thereof, is pivoted the upper end of a bar or post 5 by means of a horizontal bolt 6, and extending across and, secured to the top of each post 5 is a bar or rail 7, the point, of contact of the latter and its post being at the longitudinal center of the bar or rail, so that it and its post have'a T-form. Bracing or reinforcing strips 8 are secured to the side of each post 5 and its bar or rail 7, so as to overlap the jointbetweenthem, and braces 9 extend from the post 5 to its bar or rail 7. At its lower end each post 5 has a slot 10, inwhich plays the inturned end 11 of a crank arm 12 of a rock shaft13, which exthe accompanying tends "transversely of the base or frame 1, and isjjournaled innotches 1 1 in the upper side of the side bars of the frame 1. Pivotallyconnected to one of the crank arms 12 is arod 15 that from its point of connection with the crank extends towards one end of the frame'for base 1, andnear such end is bent laterally outward to form a horizontal arm 16 and then downward to form a vertical arm 17, and said horizontal arm 16 is adapted at different times to engage any one of three stop notches 18, 19 or 20. The notch 19 is located midway between the 'othertwo and has two vertical walls so that when the arm'16 is seatedin the notch 19 it cannot move horizontally in either direction, while each of the notches 18 and 20 has one vertical wall and an inclined surface that runs therefrom to the contiguous vertical wall of the middle notch 19, so that the notch 18 will prevent horizontal movement of thearm 16 in one direction, and the notch 20 will prevent horizontal movement of the armin the other direction, while each notch 18 and 20 will permit the arm to move horizontally and upward towards the middle notch 19. The notches 18, 19 and 20 are preferably formed in a block or strip 21 fastened to the base or frame 1, andclosing the tops of all the notches is a cap bar 22 that is hinged at one end to the bar 21, so that it may, be swung into and out of position above the notches and the arm 16, and when it is in position above the notches, it engages the top of the arm 16 and prevents it being moved as well as protects the notchesfrom being clogged by snow, ice, or other material. Before the arm 16 can be moved from one notch to another, the cap or cover bar must be swung out of engagement with the upper side of the arm 16.

' The operation of my apparatus is as follows The bars or rails 7 being tilted to the inclined position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and the latch arm 16 being in engagement with the outermost notch 18, the wagon or other Vehicle is moved towards the lowered axes or pivots of the rails 7, whereupon the arnrengaging notches on opposite sides of latter with the box or other part resting thereon will rock to the horizontal position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and in moving to such position, the latch-carrying rod 15, by reason of its connection with the rock shaft 18 and the connection of the rock shaft with the post 5, will be moved longitudinally, and the latch arm 15 riding up the incline of the notch 18 will pass to the middle notch 19 and drop into the latter, and thereby the rails 7 supporting the box or other part thereon will be automatically locked in a horizontal position, leaving the running gear of the vehicle free to be drawn off the platform 2 unaccompanied by the box or other part. To replace the box or other part upon the running gear of the vehicle, the latter is returned to the platform 2 until it is in proper positiona central one beneath the box or other part, and then the latch arm 16 being lifted from the notch 19 by hand, and the box or other part being slightly overbalanced, it will tilt or drop at one end with the rails 7 until it rests upon the running gear, then the latter being moved off the platform 2, the box or other part will move with it off the rail '7. It will be observed that the rock shaft constitutes a connection between the two otherwise sep arated or disconnected pivoted supporting rails or bars, besides constituting an element of the locking mechanism.

It will be observed that the single locking mechanism I have invented serves whether the vehicle be driven on to the platform from one end of the apparatus or the other end thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a lifting and lowering apparatus, the combination of a supporting structure pivoted intermediate its ends so that it may be inclined in either direction from its pivot, a latch arm connected therewith, a locking notch to engage said arm to hold it from movement in either of two directions, said locking notch having two abrupt walls to engage said arm on opposite sides and other said first-mentioned notch.

2. In a lifting and lowering apparatus, the combination of a supporting structure pivoted intermediate its ends so that it may be inclined in either direction from its pivot, a latch arm connected therewith, a locking notch to engage said arm to hold it from movement in either of two directions, said locking notch having two abrupt walls to engage said arm on opposite sides other armengaging notches on opposite sides of said first-mentioned notch, and a movable cap or cover for said notches.

3. In a lifting and lowering apparatus, the combination of a pair of bars pivoted intermediate their ends so that they may swing above or below a horizontal position at both ends, a single locking device to hold said bars either in a horizontal position or with either end swung up or down means engaged by said locking device on opposite sides when said pivoted bars are in their horizontal position, and means to engage said locking device when said bars are swung from such horizontal position.

In a lifting and lowering apparatus, the combination of a pivoted support comprising a horizontally extending member and a vertically extending member, a rock shaft having a crank arm connected with said vertically extending member, and a locking device including an arm connected with said rock shaft.

In a lifting and lowering apparatus, the combination of a pair of supporting bars pivoted intermediate their ends, a rock shaft having crank arms connected with each of said supporting bars, a rod connected with one of said crank arms and having a latchforming arm, and a series of notches adapted to cooperate with said latch-forming arm.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY C. DE VERSE.

IVitnesses TRUMAN J. Gnovnn, M. BILLTNGS. 

